Caged British OAP in US fraud probe `had identity stolen'

FEDERAL Bureau of Investigation agents last night began questioning a British pensioner held in South Africa on suspicion of being one of America's most wanted criminals - while his family continued to plead his innocence.

FEDERAL Bureau of Investigation agents last night began questioning a British pensioner held in South Africa on suspicion of being one of America's most wanted criminals - while his family continued to plead his innocence.

The US law enforcement bureau said it will conduct fingerprint and photo identification checks to determine if 72-year-old Derek Bond is the man accused of a multi-million dollar fraud in the US.

Meanwhile, the retired Bristol businessman's wife, Audrey, his son, Peter, and daughter, Gillian, maintained he was blameless of any crime and insisted Mr Bond has been the victim of "stolen identity".

Mrs Bond said, "Of course he's innocent. I've been married to him for 50 years so I know he's innocent."

Peter Bond, 45, said he was certain a photograph of a man bearing a resemblance to his father circulated in March last year and posted on the Interpol website, was not him.

The website named the suspect as Derek Bond, with the alias Derek Lloyd Sykes, and described him as having blue eyes, weighing 160lb and being 1.77 metres (5ft 10in) tall.

He is also said to wear a toupee while his date of birth is given as January 26, 1931.

According to the site, the wanted man "may be dangerous" and lists his offences as property conspiracy, fraud conspiracy and money laundering.

Peter Bond, who lives in Peter-borough, accepted the date of birth and name matched, but said, "Any-body who knows my father knows it's not him.

"The description says his hair is blond or brown but my father has had grey hair for the last 20 years.

"My father would never be seen wearing a toupee. He's never worn one in his life. It's ludicrous.

"We believe that he is the victim of an identity fraud where some person in the United States obtained details of his identity, including his passport number, and has used them for fraudulent purposes in the US."

Mr Bond said his father had visited America two or three times but, as far as he knew, had never been to Texas where the FBI warrant was issued in 1999 against Derek Lloyd Sykes.

The FBI said last night that tests to check Mr Bond's identity could take several days.

A spokesman said, "We are currently trying to determine if the man in custody matches the identity of the person in the fugitive warrant.

"We have only just been given access to him."

Mr Bond, a former engineer and Rotarian who is also a trustee of a local charity, had flown to South Africa with his wife on a wine-tasting trip about two weeks ago.

A spokesman for the British High Commission in South Africa said he was questioned at the airport in Cape Town when he arrived, and arrested a few days later in a KwaZulu-Natal holiday village.

Police in Durban, where Mr Bond is being held in a police cell, said he was arrested because he had the same name and passport number as a man wanted for fraud totalling $4.8m - equivalent to &#xA3;3m.

US embassy spokeswoman DeAngela Burns-Wallace said investigators were working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

"If he is identified as being the individual charged with fraud in the US, he will be extradited," she said. "If not, he will be released."

Peter Bond said, "It's been very difficult for us. My father has his good days and his bad days.

"We were very concerned about his health earlier because he had caught a chest infection, but he seems to be doing better now, thank-fully."

His 70-year-old mother was staying in a hotel near where his father was being held, but had limited access to him, he added.

Mr Bond's daughter Gillian, 46, a geologist from Norwich, flew out to South Africa about 10 days ago.

She said, "I saw him every day in prison. It is horrible to see your father like that."

Members of the Rotary Club in Bristol expressed their disbelief.

One said, "When I was first told, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe anyone less likely to be involved in something like this."

A Foreign Office spokesman said they hoped for a "speedy resolution" to the case.